Trump: Disney/Fox Deal Could be Great for Jobs

President Donald Trump called 21st Century Fox Executive chairman Rupert Murdoch Thursday (Dec. 14), according to press secretary Sarah Sanders, to congratulate him on the deal to spin off most of its assets to Disney. Fox News Channel has emerged as the President's favorite, or at least least-unfavorite, news outlet.

At her daily press conference, Sanders was asked if the President had any thoughts about Disney's proposed purchase of 21st Century Fox. The President, as a candidate, came out against the AT&T-Time Warner deal.

"I know that the President spoke with Rupert Murdoch earlier today, congratulated him on the deal, and thinks that -- to use one of the President's favorite words -- that this could be a great thing for jobs, and certainly looks forward to, and hoping to see a lot more of those created," Sanders said.

Related: Fox Could Boost Station Ownership

She was also asked for a reaction to the FCC's vote to roll back network neutrality regs, which came the same day the President was celebrating his regulatory rollback agenda.

Sanders pointed out that the Administration was on the record as supporting "the FCC's effort to roll back burdensome regulations."

But she also said that, as the Administration has also always done, it supports a "Free and fair" internet.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.